Getting the most out of your garden and using the space wisely takes some planning. This is a good time of year to start plotting out the vegetable garden. Some vegetables take up more space than others, and other vegetables have different growth patterns and requirements than others. Measure out the garden and plan now, where the vegetables will be planted.

Consider some of the following tips.

Place perennial plants such as rhubarb, asparagus, and some herbs, and berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, hascap, currants, etc) on the outside edge of the garden, in a plot of its own. This way they are not in the way and the roots won't be disturbed when the soil is being worked .

Plant in raised blocks or beds instead of one long row, leaving enough space between the blocks to get around.

Plant in bands or double rows.

When we plant peas in the home garden we plant two rows of peas, spacing the rows 40 cm apart. The pea netting is set between the two rows.

Double cropping or succession planting, is getting more than one crop from the same space in a season.

Vegetables such as radishes, salad greens, and spinach grow quickly and are harvested early. As soon as the vegetables are harvested, the leftover debris is removed, the soil is prepared and another crop is planted in the same space. If you choose to, you can plant another seeding of salad greens, radishes, and spinach so that you can enjoy these vegetables throughout the season.

Intercropping, is planting two or more crops in the same space, at the same time. One crop is faster growing than the other. For example:  interplanting fast growing radishes with slower growing carrots, or parsnips. By the time the radishes are harvested there will be enough room for the carrots or parsnips to mature.

You can interplant brassicas (cabbage, cauliflower, etc) with spinach, and lettuce. Alternate a cabbage plant with a leaf lettuce plant. When the lettuce is harvested, it leaves enough room for the cabbage to grow. You can also plant tall growing crops in with low growing crops. A good example of this would be to plant squash plants which take up a lot of space and grow low on the ground, between the rows of corn which grow up. Keep the corn on the north side of the garden so that it doesn't shadow over other vegetables that require full sun.

Choose smaller sized plants; With container gardens becoming so popular, breeders are creating smaller, more compact sized plants. Look for plants that are recommended for container growing as these tend to be smaller.

Choose your vegetables carefully; If space is limited you may have to make choices. Some vegetables will provide a larger harvest per square meter then other vegetables. For example you will harvest more beans than corn from the same sized space. Some vegetables that do not require a lot of space include beets, carrots, onions, spinach, and salad greens.

When plotting out the garden, it is important to practice crop rotation. Do not plant the same vegetable in the same space as last year. Crop rotation is done, to help keep the soil fertile and to keep away pests and disease. 

-Jos

Jos Van Hage owns and operates two Art Knapp Home and Garden Centres in Prince George:

• Highway 16 West at Kimball Road
• Highway 97 North at Northwood Pulpmill Road